Neshek’s comeback itinerary still flexible
It’s been about seven months since he signed a significant contract to return to Philadelphia, a two-year, $16.5 million haul for a now 37-yearold one-inning-pony of a reliever.
It’s been since March 30 that he has experienced health issues, going on the 10-day DL with what was described as a shoulder strain. It was about five weeks later when word came of another problem, this time a flexor muscle strain while throwing in the bullpen.
Flash forward another five weeks or so, and Pat Neshek still hasn’t thrown a real pitch for the Phillies this season.
But he’s getting there. He’s getting there . ... He is getting there, isn’t he?
“Ah, I don’t know. I mean, I’m going to go with how I feel,” Neshek said Monday. “The plan initially was five (rehab) outings. It’s been three months, I don’t know. Maybe I will feel good after the next (minor league rehab assignment). It’s going to be more how my rhythm is, how my stamina is. I feel real good arm-wise. But when you come in you get in a routine. And I need to get that routine going. So it might be one more (rehab start). It might be a couple more. It might be four more, I don’t know.”
Mind you, this is not an innings eater we’re talking about here. Neshek is a submarining set-up specialist — (though he indicated Monday he’d have no problem being a co-closer, saying, “I do whatever the manager needs me to do, I’ve always done that.”) — who is good for one inning and one inning only per outing.
On Tuesday, he’s said to be good to pitch in Reading. One inning of course, and it’ll be his second rehab outing, the first being Saturday night in Clearwater. He fared well there, but there’s no telling how well he has to fare before getting (and giving) the green light for active duty.
“It was good. I felt really good,” Neshak said of his Saturday throws in Clearwater. “I could have used a little more on the miles-per-hour. That’s part of getting back into it. You can rush yourself. But, yeah, it felt good. My slider was really good. I faced three lefties. I had a twoseamer going. A good change-up. So it was a lot of fun. It was really hot, too.”
One interesting aspect of this long spell of injury activity is how much time Neshek has had to work on his arsenal. According to manager Gabe Kapler, he’s been developing a two-seam fastball to be effective against lefthanded hitters.
Neshek hinted the injury — more specifically, the setback in May — was more serious than first reported.
“I had tears in my arm,” Neshek said. “(So) it’s a process. I mean, I tried before. I had tears in my shoulder and I ended up tearing (the flexor muscle in the forearm) trying to rush myself back quick. But I want to get back here as soon as I can.”
*** After a quick, one-game paternity leave, Jesmuel Valentin returned to the active roster Monday. That removed the risk the Phils faced Sunday in Washington, when they didn’t have an identifiable backup shortstop in the event of injury to Scott Kingery.
Valentin’s first child, daughter Ximena, was born Monday.
“The good thing is we planned it out real good,” he said. “All my family was here. It worked amazing. I was hoping that it was today. So I told (Gabe) Kapler I didn’t need the three days.”
After a 2-for-17 start to his bigleague career, the rookie utility player had gone 6-for-20 with a home run and four RBIs since June 7. His sacrifice fly delivered the go-ahead run in the Phils’ victory Saturday in Washington.
“I think it was a really rough start,” Valentin said. “I was trying to do too much as a rookie. You think you are prepared. Probably, you are. But when you get here, all the emotions get together and you think too much and you just try to do too much. I was more thinking about the results, about having a good AB. And I think that was the problem. I just settled down and got more confident.”
He wonders how it can get better.
“I can’t ask for anything else,” the new father said. “I had my major-league debut. First hit. First home run. First everything. First time being at bat. Great year so far. I’m hoping all the surprises keep coming and we keep going, play in the playoffs and hopefully win the World Series.”
*** NOTES » To make roster space for Valentin, Mitch Walding was optioned to Lehigh Valley . ... Game 2 of the Yankees series Tuesday has Luis Severino (11-2, 2.24) vs. Jake Arrieta (5-5, 3.42).